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“Test conducted in 1963 at NASA Langley Research Center’s Lunar Landing Research Facility. The test was part of the so called Studies of Man’s Self-Locomotion in Lunar Environment.”
NASA Langley Research Center film L-812
Film Supplement to NASA TN D-2176
“Evaluation of a gravity-simulation technique for studies of man’s self-locomotion in lunar environment” by Donald E . Hewes and Amos A . Spady, Jr.
Reupload of a previously uploaded film with improved video.
Originally a public domain film from NASA, slightly cropped to remove uneven edges, with the aspect ratio corrected, and one-pass brightness-contrast-color correction & mild video noise reduction applied.
COMMENTS ON SEVERAL REDUCED-GRAVITY SIMULATORS USED
FOR STUDYING LUNAR SELF-LOCOMOTIVE TASKS
…COMPARISONS AND GENERAL REMARKS…
No one method of simulating reduced gravity has the capability of providing completely reliable answers to the lunar self-locomotive problems. For example, underwater simulation provides six degrees of freedom and appears to be good for studies requiring only slow movements. The inclined plane, with its three degrees of freedom, is useful for some self-locomotive studies and provides a good method for obtaining a feel for simulated lunar gravity. Vertical-suspension techniques provide six degrees of freedom which are limited by the system restraints. The mass and friction of the support systems create extraneous inputs, and the fact that the arms and legs are functioning at their earth weight must also be considered. The airplane simulation technique, while providing six degrees of freedom, is limited by the time available per trajectory; however, this technique should provide a good means of checking short-term stability if test subjects are experienced in other types of lunar-gravity simulators.
The existing types of reduced-gravity simulators should provide means of obtaining useful data on lunar self-locomotion tasks if consideration is given to the following details :
(1) Selection of simulators should be based on the particular tasks to be performed.
(2) At least two appropriate methods of simulating lunar gravity should be employed so that results can be cross-checked.
(3) Test subjects should be experienced in several simulation methods.
(4)Evaluation of the data should allow for the effects of restraints imposed by the simulators.
The simulators fall into two general categories relative to feel. The first category consists of the airplane, underwater, and inFlined-plane simulators, all of which have a similar feel, apparently because the body members are subjected to their effective lunar weight. The second category consists of the vertical-suspension simulators, which have a different feel resulting from the operating characteristics of the suspension system, the dress of the subject (shirt sleeves or pressure suit), and the lack of partial support of the body extremities.
Based on the author’s past experience and general observations, the way a subject walks in simulated lunar gravity indicates how well he is acclimatized. Initially, the average subject will tend to stand and walk primarily on his toes; however, with sufficient experience (15 to 20 min, depending on the subject) he generally will develop a normal heel-to-toe walk. After the subject has spent sufficient time in one simulator to develop a normal walking pattern, he can rapidly adapt to any of the other simulation techniques.
RESUME
The comments in this report are based solely on the observations of an engineer who has acted as a test subject in a number of the currently developed reduced-gravity simulators used for studying lunar self-locomotion tasks…
In general the underwater ,airplane, and inclined-plane techniques have approximately the same feel for comparable conditions. The inclined-plane technique does not have either the time limitation of the aircraft or the velocity limitations of the underwater approach, but it has only three degrees of freedom. The vertical simulation approach has a different feel and offers six degrees of freedom which are limited by the system restraints. It has no time or velocity limitation if treadmills are employed.
The existing types of reduced-gravity simulators should provide means of obtaining useful data on lunar self-locomotion tasks if consideration is given to the following details :
(1) Selection of simulators should be based on the particular tasks to be performed.
(2) At least two appropriate methods of simulating lunar gravity should be employed so that results can be cross-checked.
(3) Test subjects should be experienced in several simulation methods.
(4) Evaluation of the data should allow for the effects of restraints imposed by the simulators.
